MALL GETS A TESLA SHOWROOM

Published: Tuesday, June 17, 2014 at 1:00 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, June 16, 2014 at 8:16 p.m.

Tesla Motors, ALDO, Johnston and Murphy and Chico's are the latest companies that have committed to opening stores inside the Mall at University Town Center.

Facts

EIGHTH IN STATE:

ALDO, Johnston and Murphy and Chico's also sign on

Tesla Motors, a luxury electric car company that filed zoning permits with Sarasota County this week, plans to show its cars at a storefront inside the mall, an 880,000-square-foot, $315 million shopping cener slated to open in mid-October.

It will be the company's first store in Southwest Florida, and its eighth in the Sunshine State.

They usually are small, stark, modern mall storefronts that serve as low-key information centers where people can learn about the cars. Shoppers complete their purchases online.

The stores usually have one car displayed and touchscreens where shoppers can customize a vehicle.

The company, which currently only sells one model, the Model S, was founded in 2003 by a group of Silicon Valley engineers and is now led by billionaire Elon Muskm, of PayPal and SpaceX fame.

The cars range from $70,000 to $100,000. Car & Driver magazine said the Model S they tested drove 0 to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds. It's EPA estimated range is 265 miles between charges.

Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Tesla has more than 6,000 employees and 125 store and service sites worldwide.

It also will be the first store in Southwest Florida for ALDO, a national shoe store chain that sells men's and women's shoes, handbags and accessories.

The chain has more than a dozen stores elsewhere in the state.

Johnston and Murphy, a chain of men's and women's shoe, apparel and luggage stores, also will open its first full-line Southwest Florida store inside the mall. The company has a dozen full-line and outlet stores in Florida, including one at the Ellenton Premium Outlets.

Chico's, an upscale women's apparel chain that has four stores in Southwest Florida already, plans to open one inside the mall.

The Fort Myers-based chain has stores in Westfield Group's Southgate Mall, on St. Armands Circle, on Main Street in Lakewood Ranch and has an outlet store in Ellenton Premium Outlets.

It is unclear if those stores will close once the new mall opens at Interstate 75 and University Parkway.

Chico's operates more than 1,000 stores across the country and was founded on Sanibel Island.

Under the Chico's company umbrella are brands White House Black Market and Soma Intimates, which also announced they would open new stores in the new mall.

The Mall at University Town Center is the only enclosed mall scheduled to open this year.

It is being developed by Taubman Centers and Manatee County-based Benderson Development Co.

More than 100 retailers and restaurants, many new to the region, will open with the mall later this year, including Apple, Anthropologie, Crate & Barrel, H&M and the Cheesecake Factory.

<p>Tesla Motors, ALDO, Johnston and Murphy and Chico's are the latest companies that have committed to opening stores inside the Mall at University Town Center.</p><p>Tesla Motors, a luxury electric car company that filed zoning permits with Sarasota County this week, plans to show its cars at a storefront inside the mall, an 880,000-square-foot, $315 million shopping cener slated to open in mid-October.</p><p>It will be the company's first store in Southwest Florida, and its eighth in the Sunshine State.</p><p>Tesla stores aren't typical car dealerships, according to media reports.</p><p>They usually are small, stark, modern mall storefronts that serve as low-key information centers where people can learn about the cars. Shoppers complete their purchases online.</p><p>The stores usually have one car displayed and touchscreens where shoppers can customize a vehicle.</p><p>The company, which currently only sells one model, the Model S, was founded in 2003 by a group of Silicon Valley engineers and is now led by billionaire Elon Muskm, of PayPal and SpaceX fame.</p><p>The cars range from $70,000 to $100,000. Car & Driver magazine said the Model S they tested drove 0 to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds. It's EPA estimated range is 265 miles between charges.</p><p>Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Tesla has more than 6,000 employees and 125 store and service sites worldwide.</p><p>It also will be the first store in Southwest Florida for ALDO, a national shoe store chain that sells men's and women's shoes, handbags and accessories.</p><p>The chain has more than a dozen stores elsewhere in the state.</p><p>Johnston and Murphy, a chain of men's and women's shoe, apparel and luggage stores, also will open its first full-line Southwest Florida store inside the mall. The company has a dozen full-line and outlet stores in Florida, including one at the Ellenton Premium Outlets.</p><p>Chico's, an upscale women's apparel chain that has four stores in Southwest Florida already, plans to open one inside the mall.</p><p>The Fort Myers-based chain has stores in Westfield Group's Southgate Mall, on St. Armands Circle, on Main Street in Lakewood Ranch and has an outlet store in Ellenton Premium Outlets.</p><p>It is unclear if those stores will close once the new mall opens at Interstate 75 and University Parkway.</p><p>Chico's operates more than 1,000 stores across the country and was founded on Sanibel Island.</p><p>Under the Chico's company umbrella are brands White House Black Market and Soma Intimates, which also announced they would open new stores in the new mall.</p><p>The Mall at University Town Center is the only enclosed mall scheduled to open this year.</p><p>It is being developed by Taubman Centers and Manatee County-based Benderson Development Co.</p><p>More than 100 retailers and restaurants, many new to the region, will open with the mall later this year, including Apple, Anthropologie, Crate & Barrel, H&M and the Cheesecake Factory.</p>